Month: March 2007

The New Anatolian, Turkey
March 17 2007

‘Turkey could close Incirlik base’

The New Anatolian with agencies / Washington

17 March 2007

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U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried warned Congress
yesterday against passing a resolution supporting Armenian claims of
genocide, saying the move could result in Turkey closing the Incirlik
Air Base used by the U.S. military

A bill on the so-called Armenian genocide was introduced in the U.S
Senate on Thursday. The bill was drawn up by Democrat Richard Durbin
and Republican John Essington. Senators John Kerry, Edward Kennedy
and Joe Lieberman also signed the bill. It is interesting that
supporters of the bill including presidential candidates Hillary
Clinton, Barak Obama and Joseph Bidenin have not signed the bill this
time. A total of 21 out of 100 senators have declared their support
for the bill.

The bill was submitted to the House of the Representatives on Jan. 30

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried told a hearing of a
House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Europe that Turkish officials
have informed the U.S. that approval of the resolution could lead to
a shutdown of the base or a restriction on U.S. overflight privileges
granted by Turkey.

He also said the U.S. has been informed that Ankara would respond
with "extreme emotion" if the Armenian resolution were approved.

Turkey provides vital support to U.S. military operations. Incirlik
Air Force Base, a major base in southern Turkey, has been used by the
U.S. to launch operations into Iraq and Afghanistan and was a center
for U.S. fighters that enforced the "no-fly zones" which kept the
Iraqi air force bottled up after the 1991 Gulf War.

He added the U.S. fear was that "passage of any such resolution would
close minds and harden hearts."

At the same time, Daniel Fried has described the events that happened
in 1915 during the Ottoman Empire as a massacre.

Robert Wexler, chair of the Europe Subcommittee and the U.S.-Turkey
Friendship group also underlined that anti-American mood has
increased in Turkey and if the genocide draft is adopted U.S.
opposition would increase.

Joseph Ralston, the U.S. special envoy for countering the terrorist
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Daniel Fata, a Pentagon
representative said that cold relations with Turkey would affect U.S.
operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"This is an incredibly sensitive issue inside Turkey, and what we are
trying to encourage the Turks to have is meaningful reform of their
dealings with Armenia," said Ralston

In joint identical letters to the speaker of the House of
Representatives and two other senior members, Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the
resolution also could inflict significant damage on U.S. efforts to
reconcile the long-standing dispute between the West Asian neighbors.

In the letters, Rice and Gates drew attention to the consequences of
French Parliament’s passing genocide bill that made it crime to deny
Armenian genocide claims.

"Turkey cut off all relations with France, including the military
sphere and refused military contracts under discussion due to the
adoption of that resolution. The resolution could inflict significant
damage on the U.S. soldiers located in the region and create problems
for the divisions deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan and inflict
significant damage on U.S. efforts to reconcile the long-standing
dispute between Turkey and Armenia," they said.

The appeals went to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and
Representatives John Boehner, leader of the House’s Republican
minority, and Tom Lantos, the Democrat who chairs the House Committee
on Foreign Affairs

Turkey strongly opposes the claims that its predecessor state, the
Ottoman government, caused the Armenian deaths in a planned genocide.
The Turkish government has said the toll is wildly inflated and that
Armenians were killed or displaced in civil unrest during the
empire’s collapse and conditions of World War I. Ankara’s proposal to
Yerevan to set up a joint commission of historians to study the
disputed events is still awaiting a positive response from the
Armenian side. After French lawmakers voted last October to make it a
crime to deny that the claims were genocide, Turkey said it would
suspend military relations with France.

Arka News Agency, Armenia
March 17 2007

AEPLAC: ARMENIA’S TOMORROW WITH SERIOUS SCIENTIFIC, TECHNICAL
POTENTIAL

YEREVAN, March 16. /ARKA/. Armenia’s tomorrow is with serious
scientific and technical potential, the Head of AEPLAC
(Armenian-European Policy and Legal Advice Center) scientific and
economic group Gagik Gabrielian at the presentation of the book
headed "Scientific and Technological Potential: Modern International
Approaches and Practice."
According to Gabrielian, the scientific and technological development
has already become the important factor of economic and social growth
in the world.
"That is why two factors are particularly important under the
circumstances of growing international competition – scientific and
technological development and innovation. Due to its social-economic
and geopolitical situation Armenia has no alternative but to become
an innovator and a country possessing serious scientific-technical
potential," Gabrielian said. According to him, in that case Armenia
will be able to take up a stable competitive position in the world
economic system.
The concept of scientific reforms is currently in circulation, and it
addresses the topical issues and tasks on harmonizing the country’s
scientific-technological potential with the requirements of the world
economy and international competition, Gabrielian said.
The book headed "Scientific and Technological Potential: Modern
International Approaches and Practice" is the 9th volume in the
"European Integration Library Series". It is prepared by AEPLAC in
collaboration with the National academy of Sciences. The book
contains extracts from three manuals of the Organization of Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD). N.V. -0–

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
March 17 2007

TTK President Halaçoðlu responds to Sarafian’s claims

President of the Turkish Historical Society (TTK) Yusuf Halaçoðlu
said Armenian historian Ara Sarafian was disturbed by the institute’s
initiative to study the archives of Tashnak, the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation political party founded during the Ottoman
Empire that now operates throughout the Armenian diaspora.

In a television program he participated in, Halaçoðlu said that they
would have to investigate all archives including the Tashnak
archives. `Between 1989 and 1992 I was in charge of those archives. I
categorized them. Obviously I know which documents are included in
the files. As Sarafian claims, there aren’t documents about each
village and each neighborhood. There are collective documents. There
are documents about how many Armenians were transferred from Elazýð,
where they went, and how long they stayed,’ Halaçoðlu said.

`If they are not in the Ottoman archives, they might be in the
patriarchate archives. Let’s study them. Why are they hesitant to
open those archives?’ Halaçoðlu asked. `There is someone that does a
lot of research there. He would know if such information could be
found in them. I said I didn’t know of such a list. Surely, if there
is, then we can research it together. But why is he backing away? Why
is he giving up the study because of what I said without even doing
any research?’

The TTK president claimed that Sarafian is interested in finding a
list of Armenians living in the region because he wants to file for
property rights. Halaçoðlu, who is not authorized to limit access to
archives, said `I am a researcher, I am not on the archives
administrative board.’

Recalling that Sarafian had launched a study in 1991 when Halaçoðlu
was the president of the Ottoman archives, Halaçoðlu said he gave
3,000 photocopies to the Armenian historian.

`Doesn’t Sarafian know what happened in the region? He does. He is
just trying to do demagoguery. What I said was very clear. I said our
research should not include only the Ottoman archives but every other
archive as well. I think our desire to research the Armenian and
Tashnak archives made them hesitant because in those archives there
are documents detailing what they did in Tashnak. For example, the
names of countries they cooperated with and bought weapons from,
which operation they launched and the names of people they killed.’

Halaçoðlu said Sarafian was trying to create a commotion instead of
cooperating with them. `Their cooperative stance seems like a
response to our recent attempts to conduct research,’ Halaçoðlu said.
`This is a serious institute. We invite everyone to be serious. I
don’t want to start a job by getting into polemics. If he really
wants to do research or wants to resolve this problem then he can
apply directly to us. We can decide the format of the research and
plan out a strategy.’

Recalling that Sarafyan believes 12,000 Armenians were killed in the
region, Halaçoðlu said that he welcomed any serious research to be
conducted regarding the issue.

Arka News Agency, Armenia
March 17 2007

RUSSIAN PRINTED, ON-LINE MEDIA SHOW NEGATIVE REACTION TO ARMENIANS’
MURDERS

YEREVAN, March 16. /ARKA/. Russia’s printed and on-line media show an
unequivocally negative reaction to murders of Armenians in Russia,
Director of the General Directorate for CIS and Baltic States, RIA
Novosti News Agency, Alan Kasayev told reporters.
Acording to him, the agency regularly organizes various arrangements,
including press conferences, roundtables and meetings with Russian
newsmakers, raising these problems. "These manifestations evoke
unequivocally negative responses," Kasayev said.
In this context he pointed out that any Russian media outlet can be
accused of either publishing certain points of view that can be
considered manifestations of xenophobia, showing neutrality to such
statements or not being active in advocating tolerance to other
nationalities.
"However, dozens of public organizations uniting Armenians can
cautiously be advised to pay attention to each case of xenophobia in
Russian mass media in act in conformity with the Russian
Constitution," he said.
"Any person, no matter a Russian citizen or not, that records cases
involving his national interests in Russian mass media, can and must
apply to court and sue the particular author or media outlet,"
Kasayev said. P.T. -0–

EurasiaNet, NY
March 16 2007

AZERBAIJAN PURSUES NATO INTEGRATION
Khazri Bakinsky and Mina Muradova 3/16/07

Azerbaijan is pressing ahead with plans to overhaul the country’s
armed forces in order to bring them up to North Atlantic Treaty
Organization standards. The pace of reforms will be gradual,
according to senior government officials, who are quick to point out
that Azerbaijan remains locked in an unresolved conflict with Armenia
over the Nagorno-Karabakh territory.

The deputy speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament, Ziafarat Asgarov,
indicated that the legislature would adopt a new strategic doctrine
by mid-2007, the Ayna newspaper reported. A draft of the doctrine is
on the agenda for parliament’s spring session, he added. In the
meantime, Baku has agreed to increase the number of Azerbaijani
troops serving with NATO in Afghanistan, according to Robert Simmons,
the special representative of the NATO Secretary General for the
South Caucasus and Central Asia. As of 2005, Azerbaijan had 22 troops
in Afghanistan, according to the NATO figures.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has named NATO integration as a
top foreign policy priority for Azerbaijan. The country’s
participation in the alliance’s Individual Partnership Action Plan
(IPAP), a set of requirements that must be met by alliance
candidate-members, is scheduled to end in 2007. Azerbaijani
officials, who have already started work on plans for the next
two-year slot of Azerbaijan’s IPAP, have indicated that they want to
continue with the program.

A second IPAP, running from 2007-2009, is expected to be signed with
Azerbaijan soon, said Simmons, who held March 15 consultations in
Baku with Azerbaijani Defense Minister Col. Gen. Safar Abiyev.
Azerbaijan began its IPAP program in 2005. An evaluation of the
program’s initial two years was made in February. Simmons expressed
satisfaction with Azerbaijan’s military reform process. "Azerbaijan
is our reliable partner. The cooperation between Azerbaijan is
successfully developing," the APA news agency quoted Simmons as
saying.

Turkey, a NATO member with strong cultural ties to Azerbaijan, is
ready to act as an expediter of Baku’s reform process. A high-level
military commission is expected to be set up to coordinate bilateral
military cooperation, the Anatolia news agency reported March 1.
Particular emphasis will be put on training, an area that Gen. Ergin
Saygun, deputy chief of the Turkish General Staff, has described as
the most important part of the cooperation between the two states.
Turkey also plans to help Azerbaijan establish an army company that
meets NATO standards, the general said during a trip to Azerbaijan in
late February.

Several Turkish generals are planning to travel to Azerbaijan in late
April on an inspection tour, after which they will make initial
recommendations on Azerbaijani structural reforms, the News of
Azerbaijan news agency quoted Selami Chinbat, the Turkish embassy’s
military attaché in Baku, as saying.

An independent military expert, Ismet Abbasova, expressed hope that
the Aliyev administration’s desire to develop closer ties with NATO
could stimulate broad reforms in Azerbaijan. "I hope there will be
development in the education system because the lack of skilled
military staff indicates that the Azerbaijani army is not up to
modern standards," she said.

If all goes according to the Azerbaijani government’s plan, the
country’s armed forces would meet NATO standards by 2015. The
changeover, however, will not come easily, cautioned Zahid Oruj, a
pro-administration MP who holds an influential position on the
legislature’s Defense and Security Committee. "[T]aking into account
that military reforms are more complicated than economic and
political [reforms], and many officers have a Soviet education, it
will take time," he noted.

The "frozen conflict" with Armenia over the disputed breakaway region
of Nagorno-Karabakh could also hamper plans to create a purely
professional army, commented Lt. Gen. Vahid Aliyev, a military aide
to President Aliyev. "Since Azerbaijan is at war right now, it would
not be right to transform the entire army into a professional one,"
Lt. Gen. Aliyev told the APA news agency in late 2006.

Oruj said the government is currently "seriously" working on plans to
promote civilian leadership of the Defense Ministry. At the same
time, he downplayed media speculation that a civilian would be named
as defense minister anytime soon. "We did not undertake a commitment
on this because the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan has not ended
yet," he said. A Defense Ministry spokesperson said that he has no
information about which ministry posts might be assigned to
civilians.

Despite probable delays in establishing a professional,
civilian-administered military, Oruj affirms that Baku’s commitment
to NATO stands firm. "We do all this work because our national
interests demand it, and it is our own choice to transition to NATO
standards."

Other top government officials are more cautious. During a February
interview with the German television channel Deutsche Welle,
President Aliyev hinted that Azerbaijani eventual membership in NATO
should not be considered a foregone conclusion. "What will be the
result of this partnership, time alone will show," the Azerbaijani
president said.

Editor’s Note: Mina Muradova and Khazri Bakinsky are freelance
reporters in Baku.

Resource Investor, VA
March 16 2007

Global Gold alleges Armenia requests bribe
By Todd Flagg
16 Mar 2007 at 04:11 PM

U.S.-based Global Gold Ltd. requested an arbitration demand that
accuses Armenian authorities of hobbling various gold mining
investments, through a refusal to renew and grant appropriate mining
licenses. In addition, Global Gold alleges that it confronted a
demand from a senior government minister for a $3 million bribe.

Global Gold, who filed the arbitration demand with International
Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), alleges that
its licensing woes were aggravated after the firm refused the bribe
request.

bble.asp?relid=29907

RA DEfense Ministry refutes the statements Robert Simmons made in Baku

ArmRadio.am
17.03.2007 13:16

RA Ministry of Defense refutes the assertions about exceeding the
quota of regular armaments.

`We have been repeatedly saying that such statements about Armenia do
not correspond to reality,’ RA Defense Minister’s Press Secretary,
Colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan told ArmInfo correspondent, commenting on
the statement of the Special Representative of the NATO Secretary
General for the South Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons made in
Baku. According to Azeri media, Robert Simmons had declared, `We have
stated many times that Armenia exceeds the quota envisaged by the
agreement on regular armed forces of Europe. However, Azerbaijan has
also exceeded the quota.

In this regard Colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan reminded the numerous
check-ups. ` I’m speaking about Armenia,’ the Press Secretary
clarified. `I’m not sure that Simmons has really made such
statement. It is quite possible that he might have been ascribed these
words,’ Seyran Shahsuvaryan added.

Provisional status is not favorable for Karabakh

17-03-2007 13:54:10 – KarabakhOpen

A provisional status is dangerous for all the countries of the region.
Anything that stopped halfway may reproduce, said Major-General Vitaly
Balasanyan, former NKR deputy minister of defense.

After the meeting in Geneva the Russian co-chair of the OSCE Minsk
Group Merzlyakov stated that two main issues are under consideration:
pullout of Armenian force from the liberated territories and a
provisional status of Karabakh.

Balasanyan said the status of Karabakh should be the central issue of
the talks. `Armenia and Azerbaijan must sign a peace agreement. We
cannot pretend there was no war. On the contrary, there must be a
clear evaluation who started the war, who won, who lost, who is
responsible for human lives and damage, and how it should be
contributed.

I do not think there is point in discussing the return of territories.
Why is Karabakh viewed within the borders of the former
Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region? These borders were drawn in the
soviet period. Do we want to bring back those times? If yes, let us
rebuild Berlin wall,’ said the general.

He warned that imposing a status on the people of Karabakh may produce
unexpected consequences. `We are for a peace settlement and we follow
attentively the ongoing processes. But if they try to impose a status
on us like in 1990, which will break our right to live, people will
emerge who will rise for armed struggle,’ Balasanyan said.

KarabakhOpen readers for European integration

17-03-2007 13:54:02 – KarabakhOpen

KarabakhOpen.com conducted a poll among its readers to find their
opinion if the European integration can affect the settlement of the
Karabakh issue. 52 percent of our readers voted yes, 25 voted no, 22
voted partly and 1 percent found it difficult to answer.

Interestingly, our Russian-speaking readers are more pessimistic,
whereas our English-speaking readers are absolutely for. The opinions
of the Armenian readers divided equally.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Pan-national resource needed to meet demographic challenges

17-03-2007 13:53:44 – KarabakhOpen

`The demographic state in Karabakh is normal but there are more
challenges to meet. We have a number of programs, for the territory
of the second Armenian state allows having a bigger population,’ said
Member of Parliament Karen Grigoryan elected from the region of
Kashatagh.

The member of parliament thinks in order to level the demographic
situation in both Armenian states a pan-national strategy of use of
the financial and other resources of the Diaspora is needed. It is
necessary to restore the economy, the infrastructures, and here we
need unity in all, he said.